Coeur d'Alene Tribe lands $937K grant

PLUMMER — The Coeur d'Alene Tribe said Monday it received a $937,212 grant from the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation to develop Palouse restoration strategies, including native grasslands and alternative grains, to better evaluate their potential as natural climate solutions. 

"This grant empowers the Coeur d’Alene Tribe to further its commitment to protecting and restoring its lands and waters in the face of climate change," said Laura Laumatia, Coeur d’Alene Tribe Environment Programs manager. 

The Coeur d’Alene Tribe’s Natural Resources Department has been working for decades to protect and restore the upper Hangman watershed for the anticipated return of Chinook salmon, a press release said. 

The project builds on previous work by establishing a native Palouse prairie seed bank from remnant prairie owned by the Tribe. Additionally, it will research how both the cultivation of a high-potential perennial grain and restoring degraded Palouse lands impact carbon fluxes.